19S STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



pictures to refer to. Moreover, it is no more difficult to distinguish be- 

 tween many of the common kinds of fungi than it is to learn to separate 

 peaches from apples or potatoes from turnips. 



In this Bulletin the writer will confine himself to two groups of fleshy 

 fungi which have been selected on account of the ease with which they 

 may be identified, and because they do not contain any poisonous species. 



THE EARLIEST FUNGI. 



About the earliest mushrooms to be looked for are the Morels ; those 

 fungus counterparts of the Spring Beauty, the Dogtooth Violet and the 

 Trillium, plants which are able to spring into early bloom by means of a 

 stock of nourishment accumulated during the previous season. Thus 

 these earliest species of fleshy fungi are able to appear as soon as the 

 frost leaves the woods because they have a mycelial system which became 

 well established during the summer before, to be matured by the frosts of 

 winter and awakened into activity by the warmth and moisture of spring. 



The Morels are so characteristic in appearance that when they are once 

 identified it is an easy matter to recognize them ever after. And as none 

 of them are known to be poisonous or disagreeable, they' form one of 

 the safest groups for the beginner to collect. 



On examining a specimen two parts are noticed, — a hollow stem of 

 varying slenderness, supporting at its apex a head or cap (the pileus). 

 covered with wrinkles or ridges. These ridges branch and unite, thus 

 forming pits of varying shapes and sizes. 



The spore-bearing laj^er or hymenium covers the sides of these ridges 

 and is thereby largely increased in area. Under a compound microscope, 

 a thin section through one of the ridges shows the hymenium to be com- 

 posed of slender spore-sacks (asci) standing side by side, like blocks in 

 a pavement. Fig. 7. As the spore-bearing layer matures the pressure 

 becomes great enough to rupture the exposed ends of the asci when the 

 spores are quite forcibly expelled. 



The spores, usually eight in each ascus, are mostly of an ochre yellow 

 color when seen in a layer on white paper. They may be readily obtained 

 from mature specimens by placing the cap on white paper and covering 

 with a paper cone or box for a few hours. 



Several of the so called species of morels are to be found in Michigan. 

 On account of their close resemblance most of these species are separated 

 with much difficulty, even by the expert botanist. However, this enables 

 the beginner to recognize them all the more readily as a group, and as the 

 species are equally desirable for eating, the novice will not need to hesi- 

 tate when the exact species is not recognized. 



The Two-Spored Morel. (MorcTiella hispora.) 



This morel derives its name from the fact that each spore sack (ascua) 

 contains two large spores, while those of the other morels contain eight 

 spores each. The pileus or cap is thimble-shaped, with the ridges running 

 mostly from the top to bottom and it is fastened to the stem only at the 

 very apex. Color, buff or brownish yellow, white underneath. The 

 smooth, white stem is usually three or four inches tall, hollow, and often 

 a little swollen near the base. The whole fungus is tender and fragile. 



